October is Harvest Month

October is harvest month all over the country, and that includes our own burg of Red Wing. The fall farmer’s market is my favorite with squashes, pumpkins, apples of all varieties, bell peppers, cabbages, kale, beets, eggplants, etc. This is the perfect time to turn your oven back on, invite some friends and have a fall harvest dinner with fall fruit and vegetables as the stars.


I am especially fond of a squash and apple combination—the creamy, somewhat bland squash is beautifully complemented by the tangy sweetness of the apple. I think you could get away with serving several dishes using this combination, or a similar one.

Harvest Dinner for 6

Roasted Squash and Apple Soup (Adapted from Minnesota Home October 2007)
(makes about 2 quarts)

3-4 pounds butternut squash
3 Tbsp. Canola oil
2 leeks, white parts only, washed and thinly sliced
1 medium onion
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
½-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
2 Haralson apples, peeled and diced
1 cup apple cider
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup milk
2 cups water
1 stick cinnamon

Cut squash in fourths. Lay on parchment paper in a microwave-safe baking dish or alternately, an oven-safe dish. If making in microwave, lay cut side down and microwave until tender, about 8 minutes on high. In conventional oven, preheat to 350 degrees. Place quarters, cut side down on prepared pan. Bake for one hour. Let cool. Scoop out flesh and set aside. Heat oil in large Dutch oven on medium heat. Add onion, garlic, leeks and ½ tsp. salt. Cook for about 8-10 minutes or until soft and translucent but not brown. Add ginger, apples, and 1/8 tsp. salt. Cook for ten more minutes, stirring occasionally. Add cider, cream, milk, reserved squash, cinnamon and water. Bring to a soft boil; lower to a simmer. Cook for 30 minutes or until soft. Remove from heat. Cool slightly. Discard cinnamon stick and blend soup in batches, using a hand-held immersion blender, food processor or blender. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper and serve with a small dollop of sour cream and minced chives.

Harvest Root Vegetable Salad (adapted from Bon Appetit October 1996)

3 large beets
1 large rutabaga (10 ounces)
1 large carrot
1 large parsnip
1 turnip
3/4 cup Canola oil
¼ cup walnut or olive oil
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp raspberry vinegar
1 Tbsp honey
2 shallots, minced
½ cup chopped fresh chives or green onions
1 bunch spinach, trimmed
¼ cup chopped toasted walnuts

Preheat oven to 400. Wrap beets in foil and bake until tender, about 1 hour. Cool; peel. Cut into matchstick-size strips. Cut all the rest of the vegetables into matchstick-size strips. Bring large pot of water to boil. Add rutabaga, carrot, parsnip and turnip strips and boil about 3 minutes. Drain. Transfer to bowl of ice water and cool. Drain well.

Whisk both oils, lemon juice, vinegar and honey in small bowl to blend. Mix in shallots. Season with salt and pepper. Combine beets and blanched vegetables in large bowl. Add chives and enough dressing to coat. Season salad with salt and pepper. Arrange spinach around edge of platter. Mound salad in center. Sprinkle with walnuts and serve.

Pork Chops with Sweet Potatoes and Apple Cider (Bon Appetit Oct 96)

1 ½ Tbsp. olive oil
6 5-oz. center-cut pork chops (about 1 inch thick)
3 large onions, sliced
3 large sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into ¾-inch-thick rounds
6 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary or 1 ½ tsp. dried
¼ cup flour
1 tsp. salt
2 cups apple cider
1 141/2 ounce can low-salt chicken broth

Preheat oven to 350. Heat olive oil in large skillet over high heat. Sprinkle pork chops with salt and pepper. Add chops to skillet and brown about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to plate. Add onions to skillet and sauté until golden, about 10 minutes. Arrange onions in bottom of large roasting pan. Top onions with sliced sweet potatoes. Melt butter in same skillet over medium heat. Drizzle half of melted butter over sweet potatoes. Sprinkle with rosemary. Top with pork chops in single layer. Add flour and salt to remaining butter in skillet. Sir over medium heat 2 minute. Gradually mix in cider and broth. Bring to boil, stirring constantly. Boil 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Pour over chops. Cover pan tightly with foil. Bake until pork is tender and juices thicken, 1 hour. Serve.

Cranberry-pear Bread Pudding with custard sauce

1 cup whole milk
¾ cup whipping cream
5 large egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar
3 Tbsp Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur
1 pound sliced cinnamon raisin bread, cut into 1-inch squares
3 cups half and half
3 large eggs
¾ cup sugar
4 tsp. grated orange peel
1 Tbsp vanilla
1 cup coarsely chopped cranberries
1 cup coarsely chopped peeled pears
¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
Powdered sugar

For sauce: Bring milk and cream to simmer in heavy large saucepan. Remove from heat. Whisk yolks and sugar in medium bowl until well blended. Gradually whisk in hot milk mixture. Return mixture to same saucepan and stir over medium-low heat until custard thickens (about 5 minutes). (Do NOT boil). Strain sauce into bowl. Mix in Grand Marnier. Cover and refrigerate until cold, at least 2 hours.

For Pudding: Preheat oven to 350. Arrange bread squares on large baking sheet. Bake until lightly toasted, stirring once, about 10 minutes. Cool. Transfer bread to large bowl. Add half and half and toss gently. Let stand 3 minutes. Butter 9x9-inch glass baking dish. Whisk eggs, sugar, grated peel and vanilla in bowl. Stir in cranberries and pears. Pour over bread and mix gently. Transfer mixture to prepared dish. Sprinkle with nutmeg. Bake until set and top browns, about 1 hour. Cool at least 10 minutes. Spoon custard sauce onto plates. Cut warm pudding into squares. Transfer to plates. Sift powdered sugar over.